02 Jun 2005 // A review by aronas
The Drum Media 24 MAy 2005

Recent gigs by ARonas have shown the group to be one of the most tightly knit, inventive and infectious groove/instrumental bands to have emerged on the Sydney scene in recent history. The debut album, Culture Tunnels, is further evidence of this. With two drummers, Evan Mannell and Dave Hibbard, as well as percussionists Josh Green and bassist Dave Symes, there is an enormous diversity of rhythmic ideas, and the group draws everything, from dirty punk-rock sounds to earthy bluesy feels, to funk grooves. These are married with lyrical melodies, penned and played by young piano prodigy Aron Ottignon, and, most importantly delivered with a fresh, intense energy and unity of sound. Every song is a journey, and there is that constant and most satisfying feeling of not quite knowing where the players will next take their ideas. Simple motifs are explored with the emphasis on subtlety of feel, and then build into frezied vigorous jams.

From the opening track 'Burn For Me', which is based around a commanding., Pacific-inspired drum groove - and features some virtuosic playing from Ottignon - to the closing one, the spacious, laid back and beautifully melodic Ai Leik Et, Culture Tunnels is all compelling listening.

Jasemine Crittendon

"Australians are already claiming pianist Aron Ottignon as their own, but before he left a few years ago as a 17 year old jazz prodigy he had played the traps, won awards and recorded an album. Now establisheed in Sydney and with the award for best young musician 0f 2003 (and playing at Russel Crow's wedding) behind him, he here fronts his own energeyic band on a free-ranging collection of jazz with its feet in Latin-funk (the wiry and fiery opener Burn For Me), soundtrack balladry (the lovely Strange People), ambient art music (the first half of lengthy You Little Beauty), Passages of what might be called experimental music (the opening of Cabernet), and some romantic classical flourishes. The band line-up is unusual(piano, bass and two or three drummers/percussionists) but that makes sense when the energy levels rise and some quasi-polynesian elements are added. Ideas emerge, are dealt with then left behind for another - but over repeated listening that becomes the charm and seduction." NZ Hearald Review by Graham Reid May '05.

Aronas is the project of the New Zealand born, award-winning musician Aron Ottignon. Dubbed as 'punk jazz" Aronas is an explosive combination of live dance, jazz and South Pacific-influenced grooves.

"Culture Tunnels" is the first recording by Aronas and presents Aron's original compositions in a way that will invigorate dance music audiences with its driving rhythms and grooves whilst continuing to impress the jazz lover.

Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Aronas

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